Cross Your Jordan
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Intro: We’ve examined the faith of Rahab and the two spies; now the focus moves to the faith of an entire nation. I want us to keep in mind that the Book of Joshua deals with much more than ancient history. What God did centuries ago for the nation of Israel, He can do for us, the church and America as well, if we will trust Him because God is faithful.
19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
God’s faithfulness is what will encourage us to step up and Cross Our Jordan
Text; Joshua 3:1-5
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.
2 So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp;
3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
5 And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
1. The Jordan; 1
1. The Jordan; 1
Crossing the Jordan is not as symbolic of going to heaven as some may consider. Crossing the Jordan is more of a type of moving into a daily walk with the Lord. It is growing our faith and trust in Him.
The Jordan is an obstacle that can only be overcome by faith in God.
The Jordan River is normally only 100 feet wide at Gilgal where they crossed. But God brought them to the Jordan at the time of harvest [3:15]. During the harvest time the Jordan swells to an width of over 1 mile, 50 times wider than normal.
How was Joshua going to get 1 million people across a mile wide river without the loss of life and the enemy taking advantage of their exposure? God!
So for 3 days the nation camped by the river that was overflowing it’s banks and no doubt thoughts went through their minds, “we are gonna die.”
2. Command of Faith; 2-3
2. Command of Faith; 2-3
The Ark of the Covenant- The Ark was a symbol of God’s presence. It contained the Word of God, Aaron’s rod of resurrection, and the jar of manna which was the bread of life. The Ark was covered with the mercy seat where God met with Moses.
Go after it- follow God. This was a command not an option. Forty years earlier they didn’t follow God and look what it cost them.
In the Christian life we’re either an overcomer or you’re overcome, victorious or a victim.
Just like Israel, as God’s people, we are to focus our eyes on the Word of God, the Resurrection, and the Bread of Life. Jesus Christ is all three. We are to follow Christ’s leading in our life. We don’t have an Ark to lead us today but we have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.
John 16:13 (NKJV)
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
If we ever expect to get past our obstacles in life and cross our Jordan, we must learn to follow God!
3. Challenge to Stay Focused; 4
3. Challenge to Stay Focused; 4
The Ark was in the center of the camp and the tribes were camped around it according to their designation [Num. 2]. Whenever the camp was moved the Ark always led the way. The tribes then followed in order at a certain distance for two reasons.
Reverence of God- God is our companion as we go through life, but He is not “the man upstairs” or “our best bud”. There must always be a holy reverence and a fear of the Lord in our hearts so we won’t cheapen our walk with Him.
24 And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.
24 Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.
b. You’ve not been here before- Israel was going somewhere they had never been and would encounter situations they had never dealt with before. They needed to stay focused.
Before this point in Israel’s life. God had provided all their needs [water, manna/food, clothes never ruined for 40 years, He protected them, guided them, freed them from bondage]. God would continue to do this, but now Israel had to put forth a “faith effort" to receive the promises of God in the land.
We need to stay focused on God because there are situations we’ve never encountered before and “faith effort” in Christ will get us through.
Health issues, financial issues, family issues, faith issues that we’ve never gone through before and we have to stay focused on God and walk by faith or we will become victims of our circumstances instead of being victorious in Christ!
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
4. Call to Sanctification; 5
4. Call to Sanctification; 5
Sanctify- be holy, removed from common use, set apart
In the Bible the imagery of washing one’s body and changing clothes symbolized making a new beginning with the Lord. Since sin is pictured as defilement, God has to cleanse us before we can truly follow Him. But we have a call to keep ourselves holy, clean and usable to God.
When Jacob made a new beginning with the Lord and returned to Bethel, he and his family washed themselves and changed their garments (Gen. 35:1–3)
After King David confessed his sin, he bathed, changed clothes, and worshiped the Lord (2 Sam. 12:20)
When we sin we must confess our sin [sanctify ourself] and move forward in the Lord.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Close;
Following after God is not always easy, but it is always rewarding.
If we will follow Him, He promises to always lead us to victory in Christ as we Cross Our Jordan!